Chapter 4.

A Long Story to Tell

Aura smiled as Carl and Tom picked up the debris from her spells, she had been told to sit and stay put for a while, but she had no idea what that meant so she had decided to explore what little of the house wasn't in ruins. Nita had come over very early to help watch the young wizard, who had successfully destroyed the majority of the preytons that had shown up last night; a few where found dying slowly in the trees and Nita's house, but as for the rest there was little chance of survival. When Nita asked Aura how she came up with so much power Aura had gotten a confused look on her face and asked if Nita had gotten any sleep last night.

Nita spoke to Tom and Carl, who much to her surprise already knew, they said that before all heck had broken loose last night, that they had received another piece of info on Aura. Apparently Aura came from a jungle type setting, and was use to roughing it mostly. And she had a few, as the powers had put it, "minor problems" with her magic and memory. Nita managed to keep up with Aura for the rest of the day; which involved dragging Aura away from the koi pond, teaching her that the neighbors dog was not food for hunting, and trying explain the life here on Earth. (Most of which resulted in Aura breaking something or Nita falling into a pile of mud Aura had dragged into the house.)

Nita really couldn't complain though, she loved every minute of it. Aura had to be the weirdest person she had ever met, but still she was really fun to be around. Tom and Carl asked Nita to take Aura over to her house for "A sleepover". Nita managed to transport them into her backyard without a problem, but her dad had called on the telephone, startling Aura; who in turn destroyed it thinking it was a wild animal. Nita had managed to yank it away from her before she tried to cook it.

Aura curled up on a tree branch and stared at the stars, Nita glanced out her window at the wizard. She had spent a rather frustrating couple of hours trying to find Aura's name in her Manuel, and had no such luck. She finally had slammed the book shut and watched as Aura imitated an owl that had perched near her. Aura tried to turn her head around, but had little luck with it, and nearly fell out of the tree; Nita stifled her laughter and wondered how such a weird wizard could be the newest power.

Nita's dreamt that night, but not her normal dreams; she was alone in a sea of darkness, calling out for help, but no one came. She swam and swam, not knowing which direction she was going or why she was even here. Suddenly a light appeared off in the distance, Nita swam towards it with all her might, finally managing to catch up with it. She pulled herself up onto the land that the light seemed to be erupting from, she walked towards the center and nearly fell into a vast pool of lava!

Nita braced herself and peered into the boiling rock, and there she saw Aura's figure floating amongst the melting rocks. Aura had her eyes closed and appeared to be asleep, even in spite of the fiery death that awaited her, Nita stretched out her arms, trying to grab Aura, but to no avail. Nita yelled until her voice was hoarse but still Aura slept on, innocently drifting closer to the lava. Nita began to cry, for the purity and innocence that would be lost if this wizard did not live, her tears fell silently onto Aura's cheek and slowly she awoke.

Nita Smiled and held out her hand to her friend, Aura stood up and reached for Nita, only to come up a few inches short. A great rumbling stirred the two friends and they both looked up to see a tidal wave of the black sea coming down on top of them. Nita called out for Aura, but her words were lost amongst the roar of the shadows. Aura stared upward all this time, her face defiant and calm, even as her body slipped slowly closer to the lava, she shed not a tear. Nita felt a familiar cold seep into her skin and looked up once more, there in the sky lay him, the very one she feared!

It's smile was mocking, as the sea of shadows tumbled down, It reached out a hand and grabbed Aura around the throat. Nita cried out as she was swept away in the shadows, Aura managed to break free for a second and held out her hand to Nita. It grabbed Aura by her hair and began to drag her away into the shadows with It. Nita cried out and her world dissolved into darkness, all she heard were aura's screams echoing.

Nita yelled as she woke up in a cold sweat, she leapt out of bed and threw open her window. Aura's blissful expression calmed Nita's worried mind, she sat up the rest of the night and watched her friend sleep on without a care in the world. When Aura woke she was ready to go see Tom and Carl again, Nita was only too happy to transport them there. She left Aura with them and went to tell Kit about her dream, she never knew that a shadow followed her around, watching her every move and relaying it to it's master.

Thanks to all those who had the common decency to review someone else's story!